SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 5:00PM EDT on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 The North Carolina Substance Abuse Prevention Providers Association (NCSAPPA) is pleased to announce the Call for Presentations for our 10th Prevention is the Answer (PITA) Forum. This networking forum is designed to give providers and coalition an opportunity to learn about changing trends, discuss pertinent policy changes, and share sustainability strategies. We are seeking speakers with expertise on the following topics: Grant-writing Drug trends Prescription medication misuse Special populations (homeless, veteran, youth, LGBTQ, etc) Coalition impact and/or environmental strategies Prevention provider professional development Prevention ethics (note: if you submit a proposal on this topic,…

Are you attending CADCA this year? The National Leadership Forum, February 6 – 9, 2017, is located at the beautiful National Harbor. This year’s Forum is focused on “Engineering Healthy Communities”. Check out the Forum Brochure

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the country is in fact dealing with multiple opioid epidemics right now — each with a distinct geographic footprint. Click HERE for more on this story

News From The Field

Local law enforcement is renews it commitment with Cleveland County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition to help prevent underage drinking in the county. On Feb. 28, leaders of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby Police Department, Boiling Springs Police Department and N.C. Highway Patrol, came together to renew their commitment to working to prevent underage drinking in Cleveland County with a signing of a memorandum of understanding in partnership with the coalition. The action plan strategies target two main ways young people often access alcohol according to youth surveys and focus group discussions; adults buying and supplying alcohol for underage…

A study of more than 100,000 surgical cases at University of Virginia (UVA) Health System found patients’ pain scores improved even as doctors gave fewer opioids. Two key factors were associated with this finding: Opioids make patients more sensitive to pain, though the reason why that occurs is unclear. So reducing the amount of opioids given to patients might by itself improve pain scores. UVA began implementing the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program, which increased the use of non-opioid pain medications, such as lidocaine and acetaminophen, which is commonly used in over-the-counter pain medications. Click HERE for more on this…

New research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that state implementation of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) was associated with a reduction in opioid-related overdose deaths. The study, published in Health Affairs, also found that PDMPs that monitored greater numbers of drugs with abuse potential and updated their data more frequently had greater declines in opioid-related overdose deaths than programs without those characteristics. Click HERE for more on this story